'Adtralza' lands in general hospitals in KOR

chasing 'Dupixent'

Adtralza passes the drug committees (DC) of medical centers, including Samsung Medical Center·Seoul National University Hospital·St. Mary's Hospital

Can be dosed once every 4 weeks in improved patients, offering convenience

Product photo of LEO Pharma Korea’s Adtralza (tralokinumab).

'Adtralza,' the treatment of atopic dermatitis, is quickly establishing presence in the market.

 

Industry sources said that LEO Pharma Korea’s Adtralza (tralokinumab), a treatment for atopic dermatitis with an underlying mechanism of neutralizing interleukin-13 (IL-13), has passed the drug committees (DC) of tertiary general hospitals, including Samsung Medical Center, Seoul National University Hospital, and Seoul St.

 

Mary's Hospital, and other medical centers, including Korean University Ansan Hospital, Boramae Medical Center, Incheon St.

 

Mary's Hospital, and Hanyang University Seoul Hospital.

 

Adtralza was approved for reimbursement listing in May.

 

The reimbursement criteria are set for treating ▲Adult patients (18 years or older) and adolescent patients (12-17 years) with chronic severe atopic dermatitis whose symptoms persisted for over three years, ▲Patients who had topical therapy (moderate corticosteroids or calcineurin inhibitors) as first-line treatment for more than 4 weeks, followed by systemic immunosuppressants for over 3 months, but have not responded well with at least a 50% reduction in Eczema Area and Severity Index (EASI) score or cannot be treated due to side effects, and ▲Patients who achieved over EASI 23 before Adtralza treatment.

 

This drug is a biopharmaceutical that specifically targets IL-13.

 

While Sanofi-aventis Korea’s Dupixent (dupilumab) targets both IL-4 and IL-13, it is difficult to compare the mechanism of actions of the two drugs directly.

 

IL-13 is a crucial cytokine involved in the pathogenesis and symptoms of atopic dermatitis, such as immune response and skin barrier dysfunction.

 

It is known to be overexpressed in atopic dermatitis skin and positively correlated with disease severity.

 

The launch of Adtralza provides a new treatment option for treating atopic dermatitis with a biological agent, in addition to Sanofi's Dupixent, which inhibits IL-4 and 13.

 

The phase 3 ECZTRA3 and ECZTEND studies demonstrated the efficacy and safety of Adtralza.

 

The ECZTRA3 study compared Adtralza to placebo in patients aged 18 years and older with moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis who had an inadequate response to previous topical therapy or require systemic therapy.

 

The primary endpoints were the percentage of patients who improved their Investigator’s Global Assessment (IGA) score of 0 or 1 at week 16 and those who achieved EASI-75 (a reduction in EASI score of over 75%) improvements.

 

The clinical trial demonstrated a significant improvement with Adtralza, as 56.0% of patients achieved a 75% or greater reduction in EASI score, compared to 35.7% of those receiving a placebo.

 

The results have shown that 38.9% of patients treated with Adtralza improved their IGA score of 0 or 1 at week 16, compared to 26.2% of patients treated with placebo.

 

Dong Hun Lee, Professor in the Department of Dermatology at Seoul National Hospital, said, "Adtralza is a convenient option because patients who achieve clear or improved skin condition after week 16 can be dosed every four weeks at the physician's guidance.

 

In particular, it will reduce the economic burden on patients because the reimbursable price is cheaper than competitors."